This invention relates to a programmable hoop, and particularly with regard to hoops, electronic instruments, light synthesizers, computer based synthesizers, and LED displays.
Past hoops have been promoted and designed as a toy, e.g. “Hula Hoop®,” or piece of exercise equipment. This somewhat limits the use of the hoop to playgrounds or gyms, with the emphasis on smaller-sized hoops and their use as toys.
Previous lighted hula hoops relied on electric bulbs or single colored low output LEDs. For example, a series of light bulbs inside the hoop.
In order for the hoop to truly function as a light and sound instrument, it needs to respond in real time to all the movements the hoop is making. The sensitivity of the response needs to be adjustable, as does the program that interprets a given signal to produce a certain response. Some sensors now have the size, sensitivity and low cost necessary to make this viable. In order to extrapolate the position of all the lights sources at any given time, the pathway of the hoop needs to be understood in three dimensions.